Pancakes
by GoinDownSwinging
Summary: Maura never celebrated her birthday, until she met Jane Rizzoli
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Just a short little piece that wouldn't get out of my head tonight. It's not much, but at least its something. I've got some ideas to expand this into a two parter but...unemployment has slowly killed any and all creativity I may have at one time possessed, so I make no promises. **

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><p><em>Something is amiss<em>.

Sluggishly, Maura turned towards her alarm clock, frowning as she noticed she had half an hour of sleep left before her alarm was scheduled to ring. Obviously not what had broken her REM sleep.

Moving on, she took quick inventory of her room, looking for a fallen book to account for her current level of alertness, her frown only deepening as her confusion grew.

Slowly, her brain registered the smell of pancakes wafting into her room and the sound of sizzling bacon. An unconscious smile graced her lips and the woman sighed contentedly, snuggling back into her burrow of covers.

_Wait._

Maura bolted upright. She lived alone. And most certainly spent last night alone. How were such delicious smells coming from her kitchen? And more importantly, what kind of intruder cooks _breakfast _for their prey before doing their deed?

Her panic waned almost as quickly as it came when she felt slight shifting by her feet, noticing a now familiar scruffy dog snoozing at her side. She fell back into her pillows, rubbing the sleep from her eyes just as her bedroom door creaked open and her "intruder" made their presence known.

"Hey there, birthday girl, you're awake. I made chocolate chip pancakes for you." Maura lifted her head to find Jane grinning at her, the brunette nodding at the tray in her hands. Jo Friday's head popped up from her perch on Maura's leg, ears perking at the word _pancakes_. "Oh, and sorry about Jo, she rushed in her as soon as we walked in the door. Fuckin' Judas." Jane glared at her dog, her scowl belied by the affection glimmering in her eyes.

Maura blushed deep crimson, genuinely touched by her best friend's sign of affection. Tears prickling her eyes, Maura averted her attention to Jo, rubbing the dog's belly. "Oh Jane, thank you, this is a very lovely surprise. But you honestly didn't have to."

Jane shrugged in response. "I wasn't sure what you were doin' for your birthday since we haven't seen each other all week because of that damn case. I didn't just wanna send you a lame happy birthday text, so I figured this wouldn't be all that disruptive of any plans you had. Plus I had the spare key and all." She paused mid ramble as Maura's face softened, a lone tear trickling down her cheek. Jane raised her finger in warning. "Oh no, don't you dare go soft on me now, Isles. Relax, it's just breakfast. Eat." The detective plopped the tray down on Maura's lap, reaching forward to wipe the tear from her friend's cheek.

Smiling in gratitude, Maura patted the space next to her. "Will you join me?"

"Let me just go grab my coffee." Jane barreled out the door like a bull in a china shop, her curls cascading down her back. Maura chuckled at her friend's antics, and then moaned as she took a bite of pancake.

_My goodness, she certainly has Angela's touch in the kitchen. I wonder what other things I can get her to do..._

When Jane returned, the pair caught up on all they'd missed from each other's lives, having spent the better part of the past week painfully separated. In between bites of food, Jane looked at Maura expectantly.

"So tell me, what're the big birthday plans today?"

Maura squirmed. "Nothing actually. I usually don't commemorate my birth. Growing up, it was never a cause for celebration. Did you know some religious sects…"

The lesson was promptly cut off by Jane's horrified gasp. "Maur, you're not spending your birthday alone! That's ridiculous! What do you want to do, today? Anything you want, except I've gotta go to Ma's tonight for Saturday night dinner, so it's gotta be something that doesn't get me whacked upside the head for being late." Jane pinched her nose. "Actually, come with me tonight? She bakes a killer cake."

Maura shook her head. "I wouldn't want to intrude…"

Jane stared. "Intrude? You'd be doing _me_ a favor; I've been craving Ma's birthday cake for months now. Besides, Ma loves you more than she loves me."

"I suppose it would be nice. And I'd very much like to spend the day with you, I don't really mind what we do." The smaller woman toyed with a rogue cuticle, her voice muted with tenderness.

Jane dropped a hand to Maura's knee with a reassuring pat. "Good. Go take a shower, and then we'll go take Jo to the dog park. Enjoy some fresh air. Whattya say?"

Maura smiled and leant forward, brushing a soft kiss to the detective's cheek. "Thank you, Jane. Truly. You've already made this the best birthday I've had yet." When she pulled back, Maura brushed an errant curl behind Jane's ear, her heart skipping a little as she watched Jane's face and chest flush at the gesture.

"You're welcome. Now go, we're burnin' daylight here." Jane mumbled as she shoved the last bits of pancake in her mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Cleaning out my hard-drive and realized I never actually finished this story either. Go back and read chapter one, since it was posted like...a year ago. **

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><p><em>This feels wonderful.<em>

Jane had slung her arm around Maura's shoulder earlier during a particularly clumsy moment involving Jo's leash and Maura's feet, and had yet to remove her limb from its perch. Standing there in the middle of the dog park, leaning against Jane as they waited for Jo Friday to mark a tree, Maura struggled to keep her breathing under control.

_She manifests her affections physically; don't read too much into this._

"Janie? Is that you?"

Both women turned around. Jane grin was instantaneous, and handed Maura Jo's leash before stepping forward to envelop the elderly couple standing before them in a hug. Maura's heart clenched as she watched Jane treat the couple with a tenderness and warmth so rarely seen from the brash detective.

"It's been too long, Rizzoli" The elderly man gently reprimanded as Jane stared at her feet.

"I know…I've been a little busy." Jane mumbled, looking back to Maura instinctively for support.

Following Jane's gaze, the elderly woman took note of the Maura, standing off watching the reunion curiously. Turning back towards Jane, the woman looked at Jane expectantly. "Oh darling, is this her?"

Maura glanced at Jane, tilting her head to the side in unspoken question as Jane coughed uncomfortably.

"I…ah, Mrs. Cooper, this is Dr. Maura Isles. Maura, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper. Mrs. Cooper was my piano teacher and Mr. Cooper is the reason why I'm a detective."

"That's right. One page of Mozart for one story of my precinct days. Only way we could get her to sit through her lessons." Mr. Cooper patted Jane on the back, and Maura smiled in delight at the brief glimpse of a much younger Jane.

"I assure you, sir, coercion still plays a very large role in Jane's life. " Maura winked as Jane shoved her hand over Maura's mouth.

"You'll have to forgive her, today's her birthday. You know what they say, the mind's the first to go…" Maura licked the hand over her mouth in response, giggling as Jane pulled it away and made great show at wiping the saliva off on Maura's bare arm.

The elderly couple laughed along, sharing a knowing look that went entirely unnoticed by the younger women playfully swatting at each other, lost in their own world.

"She seems to have her wits about her to me, Janie."

Maura smiled, grabbing Jane's wrist to still her movement and interweaving their hands. "Thank you, Mr. Cooper".

"Well, we don't want to keep you ladies, we'd better get to it. Janie, I expect to see you at our house for dinner soon." Mr. Cooper glared at the brunette, before averting his gaze to Maura. "And Dr. Isles, I expect to see you there with her."

"I'd like that very much. I do hope you'll tell me more stories of young _Janie_."

"Oh honey, we have enough stories to cover several dinners!" Mrs. Cooper piped in. Jane scowled as Maura clapped giddily.

After saying their final farewells, the two friends continued their leisurely stroll through the park, enjoying the waning afternoon sunlight. "They seem like lovely people" Maura mused after a few moments of companionable silence.

"Yeah, they're pretty great. Like 'em better than I liked my grandparents. They've helped me through a lot." Maura could make out the faintest hint of longing in the brunette's expression before the brunette schooled it to mock exasperation. "I can't believe you actually _licked_ me. You, the Queen of cleanliness and decorum."

Maura simply shrugged.

_If only I could lick you where I so desperately want to._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: And here's chapter 3. Nothing but pure fluff and no plot...sigh.**

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><p>Day fell into night, and Maura found herself the center of attention of her very first birthday party. When Jane mentioned cake earlier that the morning, Maura assumed she meant birthday cake would merely be the centerpiece of dessert.<p>

But when the dining room lights were cut and a birthday cake with candles was plopped down in front of Maura as the Rizzoli family sang an off-key rendition of 'Happy Birthday', she realized that, for the first time in 36 years, she'd actually have the opportunity to make a wish over a birthday cake.

Her birthday cake.

_I don't deserve this. This is too much._

Maura grabbed her wine glass and slipped out the back door while Angela cut the cake and the Rizzoli children fought over the biggest piece, needing a moment of solitude.

She settled down on the porch step, staring out into Jane's childhood backyard, unable to stop the tears from falling.

"I thought I'd find you out here." Maura jumped as Jane voice called out to her from the door, a giant piece of plated cake in the lanky brunette's hand.

Maura turned, looking caught. Jane's grin quickly turned to a frown as she noticed the tears falling from the medical examiner's eyes for the second time that day. Immediately at Maura's side, Jane set down the cake and reached for the stricken woman's hand, calloused fingers stroking over contrastingly smooth skin. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

Maura whimpered. "I had such a wonderful day today."

Jane's brow furrowed adorably in confusion. "Isn't that a good thing?"

Maura sighed, her hair billowing in the breeze. "It's a very good thing. No one's ever taken such care to ensure I had a memorable birthday. It…it means more to me than you could ever know." Maura smiled softly as Jane brushed a tear from her cheek.

"So the tears are…?"

"Tears of happiness. I'm not used to feeling so…special. I don't deserve any of it." Maura's breath hitched, and she bowed her head down as fresh waves of sobs overtook her.

Jane gently lifted Maura's chin, chocolate eyes transfixed on Maura's hazel in a way that was both unnerving and entirely welcomed by the smaller woman. Jane's husky voice drifted through the air between them. "I shouldn't do this today because I'm about to say something that could ruin your day and probably our friendship but…" She took a steadying breath, her next words coming out in a rush. "ah….I'm attracted to you Maur. Though even if I didn't care about you stupid amounts, I'd still have spent the day with you like I did because you deserve it."

The detective groaned self-deprecatingly, rubbing her thumb along her friend's knuckles. "You're so perfect, Maur." Jane looked up at the sky for a moment, as if trying to pull out her next words from divine intervention. "My God you're perfect, and you deserve so much better than what you've been given. That includes being doted on for your birthday."

_I love her. _

Maura's lips were on Jane's immediately, stunning the detective. A fleeting awkward moment passed, until they fell into a rhythm, a level of comfort more akin to an established relationship rather than a duo's first kiss.

Reluctantly, Jane pulled back for breath, placing a final chaste kiss on Maura's swollen lips. "That can happen more right, 'cause I gotta say…holy fuckin' shit you can kiss."

Maura let out a choked sob as she kissed Jane again, physically unable to get enough. She rested her head against Jane's shoulder. "We should probably talk about how we'll approach this new facet of our relationship with our families and colleagues. But for tonight, can we simply…be? No expectations, no discussions of the future? I'm oddly emotional today, and would like nothing more than to lay with you in bed. I just…really want you tonight."

"You know you can just ask for birthday sex, right? I won't judge."

Maura mouth literally hung open in shock as Jane burst out laughing. "I take it back, I'd rather spend the rest of my night alone".

She didn't mean it, and she knew Jane knew that, but Maura's heart melted all the same when Jane pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered in her ear. "Maybe you can spend your nights without me, but I've never liked spending mine without you."

"Well, I suppose there is something to be said about waking up to homemade pancakes." Maura conceded good-naturedly as she reached over to feed a bite of cake to Jane, kissing the detective's lips to get a taste herself. "Whoa. This is delicious."

"I told you!"

And that night, as Maura lay burrowed into Jane's neck and hand splayed over the detective's steadily beating heart, Maura realized she'd never have to blow out another candle, never wish upon another star.

_I'll never need another birthday wish, so long as I have her._


End file.
